BritManToo

you own nothing + you signed a paper you cannot claim things, even she dies

None of the forms on offer waive your inheritance rights.

If she dies, you inherit.

Are you new to Thailand BritMan ?? The husband does not inherit the house from the wife (unless there is a valid will written specifying this ) in the natural course of events the Husband is 7th in line.

Read 1625 & 1635, spouse gets at least 50% of property.

you own nothing + you signed a paper you cannot claim things, even she dies

None of the forms on offer waive your inheritance rights.

If she dies, you inherit.

house/land cannot be put on your children and even if you could, you need custody of a thai caretaker, that is not you

No laws preventing your children owning land, no laws preventing a foreign father being 'caretaker'.

Where do you get this stuff from?

Geriatric Kid is right regarding celebrity superficiality yet I've always had a soft spot for Bob after seeing him on Parkinson, years ago. Articulate, I remember when he mentioned how the death of Lennon had a profound effect on people of his and my generation, it did really mean the end of a dream, an era. He was perceptive about rock music though his own band was crap frankly.

How an intelligent man ended up married to the celebrity obsessed Paula Yates has always puzzled me, but there you go.

But to lose an ex wife to suicide and then a daughter at 25 is a terrible thing for anyone to bear,so my heart goes out to him.

If you had met them both, you would wonder what a nice girl like PY was doing married to a smelly drunk like BG.

Yes, PY was a gold-digger, but she had to work hard for the money.

Sad that Peaches died at 25, sad that anyone should die so young.

Do wonder how the reports can claim her death not suspicious, not normal for someone to die age 25.

So if not suspicious was it accident or OD?

PS

Wonder how much of his own money BG gave away to blah Aid?

Seeing as he's worth about 100 Million GBP (from Planet 24 and Survivor)

A lot of you are saying the climate, why not go to South Beach, San Diego or Surfers Paradise then?

The cheap food? Why not Hong Kong, Singapore or Penang?

The pretty girls? Nice, Budapest or Tokyo?

The nature and mountains? Vancouver, Zurich or Seattle?

Because they are all in one place here, rents are inexpensive and many of us have gotten travel out of our systems - other than from time to time.

You are so right.

But if I were American with unlimited money, I would probably be living in San Francisco.

Although something not many people mention about CM, very easy to make friends, something that I found hard in SF.

A lot of you are saying the climate, why not go to South Beach, San Diego or Surfers Paradise then?

The cheap food? Why not Hong Kong, Singapore or Penang?

The pretty girls? Nice, Budapest or Tokyo?

The nature and mountains? Vancouver, Zurich or Seattle?

Not everyone is American.

HK and Singapore are really expensive places to live.

Not everyone cares about girls.

Zurich is even more expensive than HK, and the weather is pretty bad most of the year.

How did I do?

It seems you don't trust your wife very much, hence the question, am I liable if we divorce. Divorce would be the last thing in my mind if my wife spoke about getting a loan for a house but then we haven't all got a good relationship with those that we choose to marry I suppose. If you are legally married, you are both liable for 50% of everything, and, this includes money in the bank so either way it looks like you will be paying for the house one way or another should you divorce!

With a 50%+ divorce rate on Thai/foreigner marriages, not thinking of divorce could seem a little foolish.

Not to do with trust, to do with statistics.

If you don't co-sign the papers, they won't let her buy it.

(Particularly the ones at the land office)

You admit you were in arrears.

You lose your deposit and your stuff will be chucked.

Why would you believe it should be any different?

I thought the family of Thai SS all were covered by their insurance. Foreigner or Thai. Parents spouse children. One of the benefits for SS.

I got the necessary kick up the arse 3 months ago when I was diagnosed with type 2 Diabetes(I'm 6ft,and was at the time 105 Kilo's which is 16.5 Stone),I'm a big lump of a lad,cycle regularly,do a very intense self defense regime as I am in the Security Business so wasn't worried about it too much,and the diagnosis came as a bit of a shock(no family history,no classic buildups(I don't eat chocolate,or drink fizzies etc),

then I came across this study (sorry for link from a daily paper,I had the proper one before I rebuilt my PC) http://www.express.co.uk/news/health/452220/How-a-strict-diet-of-800-calories-a-day-can-cure-diabetes-in-weeks,

.........

I don't recommend the full 800 calories only plan for longer than a few months though,I would start there,and move up to 1500 calories a day(the daily recommended for a man is 2500,and a big lad like yourself could get through a lot more!),

you can do it!,

........

it's these little moments that'll keep you going,Transam is right,extra exercise is not the answer,it takes too long to burn calories(although it helps with general fitness),

LESS calories(of any kind,you don't need to be too strict,although I did cut down on proper junk food)is the answer,

and don't beat yourself up if you have a slip up here and there!,I was talking to a mate of mine on Skype and he was stuffing his face and I literally snapped and ran to the chipper and stuffed my face!,

good luck,

I disagree with you on many points.

At 105kg, that's 25% overweight. You should be between 69Kg and 79Kg for someone 6ft.

Exercise,

I use a heart monitor and wrist recorder, my basic exercise uses 2000+KCal/week, but I can use 8000+KCal in an excessive week. (total 8-10 hours exercise in a basic week)

Cycling, swimming, hiking, running. No gym work at all, I don't find it interesting or effective.

Junk food,

I have to eat at least 4 junk food meals a week in order to keep from excessive weight loss.

I'm having to force food down when I'm not really hungry. I find excessive exercise inhibits hunger.

Overweight is a lifestyle problem, too much available food, too much free time, not enough physical activity.

Sorry to hear about the diabetes, but with that much excess weight only to be expected (that or a similar problem).

Not risk whatsoever. Zero....nada...zip...

Civil war requires planning and management skills.

Although your remark was flippant, and not that I think Thailand will collaspe into a full blown civil war, but it does raise an interesting question, lets suppose Thailand did collaspe into a full blown civil war, do TV's esteemed members have a get out of dodge plan ?, if it did happen whats your plan ?, do you stand to loose everything becasue you have your eggs all in one basket ?, If you had to could you leave at start a new life somewhere else ?

Think these aspects might be better discussion points on the topic of a Thai Civil war, rather than the typical..."Sutheps a facist, its all his fault you know"

Plenty more 3rd world countries to try.

I'm thinking S. America next, with a stop over at the Phillipines on the way.

It's not as if Thailand gave me citizenship or residency, or was ever likely to.

Having delt with a problem like this before, you have two three choices.

1. Stop keeping poultry. Dogs like this will repeat attack again and again, nothing will stop them.

2. Kill the dog.

3. Buy a vicious dog that you train to kill other dogs but now fowl.

Sorry, but that's about it.

In any case it was just an argument & even in America, married people have joint bank accounts. You need to get rid of that bigotry mind set & stop thinking that all Thai women are bad seeds. Christ, get a white woman, then you'll get the devil!

555

You want him to replace his bigotry with your bigotry?

How's that? He's white discriminating against Asians. I was referring to how someone (who isn't more than a tourist) can "assume" an entire country's population of women are bad based on where they're from. What I referred to with Whites, was what I know as a citizen of America, white western women are generally the plague & so I've seen; in a visiting sense that is, with quite a lot of English women (watch, talk, listen & absorb), definitely, Europeans...or more of what they (English women) turn into when they get old...why so many old British women are referred to as Hens.

Besides, no one can be considered a bigot or any way prejudiced against white people.

555

That was even funnier!

In any case it was just an argument & even in America, married people have joint bank accounts. You need to get rid of that bigotry mind set & stop thinking that all Thai women are bad seeds. Christ, get a white woman, then you'll get the devil!

555

You want him to replace his bigotry with your bigotry?

I think the problem now for a lot of the expat ownership western food type places is that they are under serious competition from a new breed of Thai owned "fusion" type restaurants serving good food and drink including wine at a reasonable price.

Theres a couple of places called, I think, Wine Cafe, one branch in Star Avenue near the Bus Station, and the other branch in the old Think Park area at the end of Nimmanhemin, where you get excellent Thai food, but also I had by far the best Fish & Chips I ve had in 10 years in Thailand.....good ribs as well, and decent wine for 400 baht a litre, nice, modern places to sit, live music (not too loud!)........and there are others too......I m not connected in any way, just commenting.

Talking as we were about Mikes Burgers.....if you can go to a place like I ve described here....and similar others, why would you go and sit on a bar stool in the street with traffic roaring past 2 metres away??!

There really are some young, modern innovative Thai entrepreneurs actively improving the Chiang Mai eating scene, and a lot of your old traditional places, such as Mikes, Miguels, etc etc really have to shape up or possibly die!

More likely different customer demographics.

The old western sexpat with money to burn is gone, retired hubby and wifey teams are rarer, lots of Chinese tourists.

Very few wants to pay premium prices for a very cheap western burger.

Once you start pricing your meals at much over 100bht, essentially you're finished.

The pricey western food places are chasing a diminishing market.

Oh you silly boy, fell into the Farang Trap. YOU HAD A HOUSE BUILT FOR HER, she rich lady now, got caught hook line and sinker, goodbye farang it was nice knowing you ha ha !! why the hell do all you guys want to BUY - BUILD them houses, it is beyond me, whats is wrong with renting,?? you can run away quicker. i have just looked at a NEW HOUSE UNFURNISHED in Chiang Mai for 7,000 baht, a month rental. spend your bloody money on enjoying yourself this aint no "dress rehearsal" this is the "real deal" when your dead your dead, no-one has come back yet to say how good it is

On your calculations id be rent free in 10 years,if i bought a house.I have just made the 10 years and everything is still ok.Of course it could all go to shit very quickly.

Even someone with very basic arithmetic skills would see it would take 20 years rent to break even.

1.5Mbht house rents for 6-8K/month in CM, that's 15 years if rent and you kept your money in a bag under the bed.

Include lost interest on capital and maintenance and you are soon up to 20 years.

A lot of your examples are very weak. Pollution, corruption, service,... Well hell yeah, they ARE worse here than in the West. A problem I see here more often is Thai apologists /reflexive West-bashing who have have no sense of magnitude. Just because there is pollution in the US and Europe doesn't mean it's as bad as in Thailand. It's not a binary thing, either on or off.

Easy, cheap sex with much, much younger women and men makes up for a lot of obvious flaws, but requires vigorous obfuscating defense.

Funny that, because that to me is the flaw.

Too many crusty creepy dudes here for the cheap sex = flaw to me.

But THailand makes up in other ways, so i mentally erase the creepy element.

But the bonus is, none of the crusty creepies are looking at you.

They have mentally erased you first.

40bht for ten in any pharmacy.

English University entrance requirements are just the same.

The right family and you're in.

The wrong family, but with big money and you're in.

If you have contacts, and are prepared to use them, your kid is in.

And lots of dodgy deals to be done at all levels, not all involving money.

I know, I did a dodgy deal and got one of mine into a top notch UK university, using the old boys network.

A lot of farming communities in Central Thailand also appear to speak a variation of Lao.

Same in Northern Thailand.

I believe many stratified societies have (or had) the different levels speaking different languages.

(Used to be the same in France, England and Italy, Italy didn't have a cohesive language until after WW2)

Ask yourself why would it be fun to go to uni in northern thailand as a "mature student" and see what you come up with ??

Ed VISA?

Payap and CM Unis both run Thai courses for foreigners.

I believe they do a few other courses in English, I think Womens studies in CM uni?

There is absolutely no need to have your GF sign anything - they do this out of antiquated habit. BKB's online application forms are available in English and are all that you require. Local practice will contradict this.

I opened mine in a rural area and the clerk completed aThai version of the appication and ignored my pre-prepared forms completely!

BKB requires foreigners on a tourist visa to have an existing account holder sign as a reference.

A copy of their ID card or passport will be taken.

This is not required if you have a Non-imm-o VISA.

Are you comfy? I hope so because this answer may be more than 200 words and I know you have problems with that.

I'll come clean. I'll tell you why I visit this forum....... Because it fascinates me and amuses me. There are so many weird, angry , miserable, petty , boring , dysfunctional people here it amazes me. And before everyone gets offended, there are some interesting, intelligent and caring people here too. I think it's great what the likes of Nancy L is trying to do for the local expat community, and only wish that I could be as kind and generous. However, as much as I might admire people like her, it's the nutters that brings me here.

I have developed a theory that plenty of the angry posters are actually suffering from a mental disorder ...... Culture Shock. Their choice of words is often very telling, for example oz893 or whatever his number was, saying that people have 'fled' to Laos and Vietnam or wherever. Fled? He means 'left' of course but for someone that is finding it difficult to adjust, 'left' doesn't express their feelings, so it becomes 'fled'. Another example, is that when someone is overcharged by a small amount, it becomes 'rip off' or better still 'scam'. How can you be scammed or ripped off for 5 baht? People refer to the night bazaar as a 'tourist trap' . The same pattern, using words that suggest paranoia. The night bazaar is a place where people offer goods for sale at a price that they think will maximise profits, and that everyone is free to accept, bargain or walk away from. where is the trap? In peoples minds. I could go on, but do it yourself, look at some of the angry posts here and see how trivialities become grossly exaggerated with paranoid-like language.

So that's the sick ones. Then we have the people who are so bored or maybe boring that they post such inane stuff it beggars belief. As someone already pointed out, why are grown men discussing the price of eggs? Did they ever discuss things like this back home? I hope not.

Assuming that someone manages to eat 10 eggs a week, what difference does it make if they cost 30 baht or 26 baht? None whatsoever to anyone on this forum., including the Op and his supporters. 4 baht a week! Similarly, the price of vegetables. Who cares what they cost, they're cheap anyway, and the fact that they go up and down is no big surprise to anyone.

If you were sat in a pub and someone next to you started talking about the price of eggs what would you be thinking? "Lost his marbles poor soul" , "piss off mate, go and annoy someone else"? I can't say because , fortunately, it's never happened to me. But what I can say is this, it fascinates me. I'm thinking "why is this guy talking about a trivial price change, in an insignificantly cheap product? He would never do that back home, so why does he do it here?".

It's no different to the guys I mentioned in another post, who have loads of money but choose to drink Archa beer, even though they think it's horrible, because it's cheap. Those guys step off the plane back home, go to a pub and ask for a pint of 'best'. They step off the plane in Chiang Mai and ask 'how much is a big Leo?' . Did they ever ask how much is a beer in a pub back home? no, never. So the difference in their behaviour here fascinates me. It doesn't bother me in the least but I am interested to figure out, Why the change?

That's how I explain to people why I read ThaiVisa. As we all know , most people loathe it. Sure, you can get some useful answers to your questions, but the nutters! Who are they, where did they come from, what's wrong with them? Sorry guys, you fascinate me and very often amuse me.

Eggs are a basic ingredient of many foods, the price of eggs reflects the price of everything else.

There has been a 30% variation in egg prices over the last year in Thailand.

Egg prices are a useful indicator for inflation in any country.

As for the suggestion that grocery prices are not relevant to men, absolute chauvinism at its worst.

In the society I come from (UK) men and women are supposed to be equal in all things.

I resent your suggestion that the price of any item (female hygiene products excluded) is not important to men.

It would be nice to have a list of the hypocritical criticisms, as imagined by the OP.

Anyone thought of recording these interviews on a smartphone?

Being obvious while doing it.

"Sorry my English not so good, mind if I record it for later, to check I understand everything?"